Choosing a Host: Common Questions
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Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Archives
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December 7, 2011 3:30 PM
Question: Does it make a difference what Data centre your host uses? Short answer? Yes! But let’s discuss the longer answer to that question.
When you are deciding on a host, there are a few variables that come into play. The ‘big five’ are: Price, Location, Uptime, Support and Performance.
The data centre that your host uses to store your precious data can actually impact 4 out of ‘the big 5′. For example, Price is determined by the quality of resources your host uses and the business approach they have decided to take – you’ve seen the ads for ‘free hosting’ or $1 per month incentives. Ask about their partners and about their data centre… that should give you an indication as to where they are spending their money for their customers.
Location location location. In a world of virtualization, location doesn’t need to be the ‘be all and end all’ however; the location or locations of the data centre should play into your decision. You no longer need to keep your servers right where you can see them (in a cramped storage room next to your mini fridge) but be careful about how remote the data centre is, and ask how the company deals with latency concerns.
Uptime is uber important, and most hosts splash their ‘uptime guarantees’ all over their website. The quality of datacentre has a lot to do with the uptime reality. If you are paying to house your data in the ‘air force 1 ‘of data centres, it is well equipped to withstand any storm or power outage that may occur. There can always be human error, but physical threats will not bring down a certified tier 3 or above datacentre.
Lastly, Performance can often be measured by the quality of the datacentre the host invests in. High performance, high uptime promises, high efficiency and all the bells and whistles depend on the level of the host’s datacentre. At Atum, we invest in a certified Tier 3 data centre that will guarantee iron clad security, superior speeds and uptime, efficiency and even advancements in Green technology.
The bottom line is this; if your host has spent money on a premier data centre in order to offer their clients top notch performance that should tell you how much they value quality of service.
Back to the original question…
Does it make a difference what Data centre your host uses?
If it matters to your host, it will make a difference to you.
Originally posted on Atum & IT Industry News
| Blogger Profile: Christine Sheppard | |
| Christine Sheppard is the marketing and communications voice at Atum Corporation – a VPS hosting and IT Solutions Company. Atum is a Canadian leader in VPS solutions and virtualization and Christine draws upon her inherent interest in the advance of new computer technology to discuss topics in Cloud Computing, Virtualization and emerging business trends. www.twitter.com/AtumIT |  |
